UAE Inheritance Law

The United Arab Emirates have made changes to their laws in relation to inheritances and deceased estates.

The changes will enable expatriates living in the UAE, and foreigners with real estate investments in the UAE, to specify in their Will, the law which they wish to apply to the distribution of their UAE assets.

Where there is no Will in place the laws of the deceased’s nationality will apply.

Prior to these changes, it was possible for UAE Courts to apply principles of Shariah law to the estate of a non-Muslim. The changes therefore will ensure that the deceased estate is administered in accordance with their wishes or the customs of their home nation.